Persona 4: Time Twisted
by rjm324
Summary: It's the end of the year, and it's time for Yu Narukami to return to the city. But when he's given the opportunity to go back to the beginning of the year, something goes very wrong...
1. From the End to the Beginning

I stand on the train platform quietly with my friends, Dojima, and Nanako, the spring breeze and shining sun contrasting the somber mood that shrouds over all of us as the next train out of Inaba pulls into the station, marking the end of my journey. I mean, with Adachi locked up for his crimes and the fog having been lifted from our world, there isn't much else for me to do here except board the train and head home. But on the other hand, I don't want to leave behind all my friends; sure, they're not the brightest bunch, but we've been through too much for it to all end here.

I decide to speak first. "Well, this is it."

"Do you have to go, partner?" Yosuke asks with a pleading tone in his voice.

I nod. "Yeah. You all knew that I'd have to leave for home eventually."

"We know," Chie replies. "Well, don't you forget about us."

"And feel free to visit anytime," Yukiko adds.

I nod again. "Yeah. I'll come and visit during Golden Week. That's a promise!"

Kanji pumps his fist. "Right on, senpai!"

"Yeah!" Rise exclaims. "And when you do, we'll throw a party for you!"

"A-A party?" Nanako asks before looking to me. "Can we do it at Junes?"

I smile, pat her head, and reply, "Sure." I then look to Yosuke. "Would you be able to set that up for us, partner?"

He nods. "Yeah. Just give me a call, and I'll get right on it." As he finished, I turn around, board the train, and turn again to face my friends one more time.

"Well," I start, "I guess I'll see you guys later."

Yosuke nods. "See ya."

"I'm serious," Chie reiterated, "don't forget about us!"

"Yeah," Yukiko follows.

"If trouble comes knocking, I'll be there, senpai!" Kanji proclaims.

"I'll be there for you too, Sensei!" Teddie adds.

"Geez, guys," Rise interrupts. "You act like he's going to be in danger back in the city."

"I'll be alright, guys," I respond reassuringly. "Just take care of yourselves, okay?"

Dojima nods. "Well said."

Naoto also nods. "We will." The door promptly slides closed as Naoto spoke, leaving me to wave at my friends as the train begins to chug out of the station; not only do they wave back, but they're also trying to keeping up with the train until they run out of platform to run across. Yeah, they're silly like that, but they're committed at least. No one back in Tokyo was like that when I left there, which really showed me where I stood with them.

Minutes later, as the sleepy town of Inaba fades from view, I decide to walk into the cabin and sit down in my seat, where I'll be for the next few hours or so, leaving me with plenty of time to think. First and foremost, even though my friends and I solved the murder case, why do I feel so empty right now? I guess missing my friends is a part of it, but there's something else that's contributing to this emptiness. Perhaps it's just me, but there's something about the case that still nags at me. Why? Adachi was the killer, and his motives were both probable and believable, so then why does it feel like I'm overlooking something?

Or maybe I'm just paranoid, and all I really want is for the year to last a little longer, but it's a little too late to ask for that now. So, relaxed in my seat, I glare out the train window for a few moments, the tree line zipping by like lightning as I slowly doze off, similar to how I awoke as I came to Inaba that long year ago.

* * *

As I open my eyes, I notice that I'm not on the train bound for home anymore; instead, I'm greeted with the ever familiar sight of velvet and alcohol, inside a limo that moves slowly down an endless road. And seated opposite of me were two people I spent the past year requiring assistance from, whether it be fusing Personas or fulfilling social link obligations

"Welcome back," the lady clad in velvet attire, Margaret, greets.

"W-Wait," I stutter. "Why am I back here? I thought my contract was fulfilled."

"On the contrary, Narukami," the old man, Igor, began, "your journey is not yet over."

"Why is that?" I ask. "I figured out who was behind the murders in Inaba. Isn't that enough?"

"That may be true," Igor responds. "However, you were unable to uncover the whole truth behind the mystery."

I stand in shock for a minute or so before speaking up. "W-What? That can't be. I was very thorough in my investigation."

"Regardless," Igor continues, "there is nothing you can do at the moment to resolve it."

I arch my brow in curiosity. "'At the moment?' What do you mean?"

"I neglected to mention, but if at any point you were to fail during your journey, such as failing to save a victim, I would have sent you back in time ever so slightly to allow you to correct your mistake."

"A-Are you serious?" My curiosity morphs to anxiety in an instant. "Does that mean you could send me back to the beginning of the year?"

Igor closes his eyes, leaving me in a state of panic before opening them a minute or so later.

"I suppose it's possible, but I haven't tried doing that before." Igor goes silent once more and looks to Margaret for a brief moment, exchanging a few nods, before facing me once again. "Are you sure you want me to send you back to the beginning of the year, regardless of the consequences?" I thought over what exactly Igor was proposing. Basically, he would be able to send me back to the beginning of the year so that I could uncover the whole truth regarding the murders; that part was enticing enough, but another realization flashed in my head: it would also allow me to spend even more time with my friends, even if they, inevitably, didn't recognize me. The real question, though, was whether or not I was really willing to do this, since, as Igor pointed out, there might be negative repercussions for doing so.

Nevertheless, I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and open them after a few seconds. "Yes, I am."

Igor nods. "Very well. Just close your eyes and do not panic, no matter what may happen." I nod, close my eyes once more, and hear Igor initiate using some form of magic like he had with Persona fusions, only this time, it doesn't sound anything like that; in fact, for a moment, I think I hear the ticking of a clock, though this might just be my imagination. As passing seconds begin to drag on like minutes, I hear not only a gasp from Margaret, but also the unpleasant sound of cracking glass.

"W-What's going on?" I ask, my voice wavering.

"Do not panic," Igor reminds me, but the hint of concern I heard in Igor's voice told me otherwise; not only that, but I suspect Margaret shares a similar level of concern as I do as the cracking intensifies in volume. Finally, I'm unable to keep calm; I open my eyes, and what I'm greeted with is something that was mostly terrifying: I see Igor, hands over a golden yellow orb, and Margaret, stricken with fear as the cracks on the windows continue to grow larger.

"W-What in the…?" I barely have any time to react as the yellow orb explodes and I fly towards the back the limo, slowly losing consciousness as the yellow, semi-transparent cloud leftover both engulfs and dissolves me.

* * *

I slowly open my eyes, blinking a few times, before taking note of where I am. I notice that I'm seated in a train, wearing the Yasogami High uniform I had received before boarding the train back in Tokyo; it's a little bland, but I think I can manage it. I close my eyes again and clutch my forehead as pain throbs in my brain. It feels like just another headache, but there's something else about it that makes it nearly unbearable. After a second or two, the pain vanishes before I have a chance to sort it out.

" _ **We will be arriving at the Yasoinaba terminal in a few moments,"**_ the PA system announced. _**"Passengers heading to Inaba City and Yasoinaba Station, please move to the other side of the platform."**_

I guess that means me. I check the overhead storage rack, recovering a small carry-on bag I had packed for the trip, and stand up as the train comes to a complete stop. Once the doors open, I find it easy to slip out of the train, a very different but welcome change from being forced onto the train by the flood of passengers back at the beginning of my travels. I move across the platform and board the next train while taking note of how few people were following me and, consequentially, traveling to Inaba.

I find it strange, but I pay it no mind as I make my way to my seat, place my carry-on bag in the overhead compartment, and take my seat for another round. I then decide to pull out my phone, thumb over to my messages, and read the text I received earlier in my head:

 _Meet us outside Yasoinaba Station at 4 PM._

The time now reads 3:10, which means I have under an hour before I arrive at Inaba. I wonder what it'll be like. I'm sure the people will be friendlier than in the city, but that isn't really my biggest concern. Would someone want to be friends with someone as plain as me? I run my fingers through my hair in anticipation. Or is it fear? Why would I have anything to fear? I shrug the feeling off and decide to look out the window for the remainder of the ride, the familiar sight of the zipping tree line attempting to lull me to the sweet embrace of sleep.

* * *

" _ **Yasoinaba. Yasoinaba."**_ The mechanized PA system voice repeats this name as I exit the train and casually make my way through the empty station. Again, I find it odd, but once I make it to the front, the pieces immediately fall into place and the reality of the situation hits me. There were few people on the train with me because there's literally nothing here. Sure, there's a lot of houses (and I swear I see a huge shopping center in the distance), but the place feels almost like a ghost town. Despite this, it's pretty calming. Unlike the hustle and bustle of the city, I'm greeted with a relaxed, more laid back atmosphere, which is also strangely comforting. It may get a little boring around here in due time, but I think I'll manage.

"Hey!" a voice calls out. "Over here!" I turn my head in the direction of the sound, discovering two people whom I've never met before; the first one is a man, probably in his thirties, wearing a grey shirt with a red tie and dark brown slacks, while the other is a girl, wearing a white turtleneck under a dress and ribbons in her brown, pigtailed hair. As I approach the two, I can't help but chuckle at the way the girl clings to the man; in fact, I think it's a little cute and endearing.

"Well, you're much prettier in person than in your photo," the man remarks. All things considered, I don't know whether to be flattered or creeped out.

Nevertheless, I respond. "T-Thanks."

He continues."Welcome to Inaba. I'm Ryotaro Dojima, and I'll be looking after you." He scratches his head. "Let's see… I'm your mother's younger brother. That about sums it up." So he's my uncle? Alright then.

I extend my hand to him. "Nice to meet you. I'm Yu Narukami."

Dojima shakes my hand and chuckles. "You probably don't remember, but we've met. I've changed your diapers before." A twinge of embarrassment blazes through my head at the thought of him seeing me naked as a baby, but I quickly file this thought away as I release my grip and look back to the girl who is, amusingly, hiding behind Dojima's leg.

"And who's this?" I ask.

Dojima turns his attention to the girl. "Oh, this is my daughter, Nanako," he replies as he gently nudges Nanako into my view. "C'mon, introduce yourself to your cousin."

Nanako hesitates at first, but finally she replies softly with "'lo." Yep, she's just too cute with that level of shyness, especially when she retreats back behind Dojima's leg afterwards.

Again, Dojima chuckles. "What're you so shy for?" he asks Nanako before she punches him in the leg. Dojima winces in pain, but he laughs it off immediately. Nanako glares at him like she doesn't forgive him. Now I was the one to chuckle at the sight.

Dojima clears his throat. "Well then, let's get going," he says to change the subject. "My car's over there." I nod, then begin walking to the car Dojima pointed out.

"Hey," a voice calls out from behind me. I turn around and see that a black-haired girl is walking in my direction. As I open my mouth to ask her what she wants, she hands me a folded, crumpled piece of paper.

"You dropped this," she adds.

I nod in confirmation. "Thank you," I reply. As I reach out to take the paper from her, I take note of what she's wearing: a sleeveless white shirt with a black necktie, a checkered skirt with a black belt, adorned with a gold buckle, striped stockings with black boots, and most interestingly, a choker with a lock on it. She certainly doesn't seem like a sociable person, so why is she helping me out?

"Whatever," she replies nonchalantly. "All I did was pick it up." And her attitude certainly isn't helping with my first impression of her. Still, I'm sure if I see her again (which I probably will, given how small the town is), I feel I can straighten her up. I open the folded piece of paper that led to this encounter, only to find that inscribed was Dojima's address; it's kinda pointless now, given that Dojima came to pick me up, but I nevertheless shove the paper in my pocket, just in case something happens.

When I look up, I notice the girl is gone, and when I turn around, I still don't see her. I shrug and walk over to Dojima's car, since I'm probably holding him up now. I throw my bag in the trunk and hop in the backseat, with Nanako sitting in the front passenger seat and Dojima driving. At first, the ride is smooth as we pass house after house; that is, until I see Nanako squirm in her seat.

"What's wrong?" I ask. She says nothing, but the way she's squirming tells me it must be…

"Do you need to go to the bathroom?" Dojima suggests before being punched by Nanako once again. She looks out the window afterwards, trying her best to hide her face from Dojima and I. Still cute enough for me to smile, though.

After a few minutes more, Dojima pulls into a gas station in the Central Shopping District, which gives me my first look at the local businesses; besides a few shops, it's a melancholy sight, given how many places are boarded up and closed. Is it because of that shopping center I spotted earlier? As we pull in, I see an effeminate-looking, male attendant run in our direction.

"Hi," the attendant greeted. "Welcome to Moel!" Geez, he even has an effeminate voice.

"Can you go to the bathroom by yourself?" Dojima asks Nanako, whom nods as she hops out of the car. I exit second, while Dojima exits last, facing the attendant. As I close my door, I see Nanako frantically look around for the bathroom.

"The bathroom's in the back and to your left," the attendant replies with a smirk. "Do you know which side is left? The side you don't hold your chopsticks in." I applaud his helpfulness, but also cringe at his attempt at humor.

Nanako pouts at the man's comment, seemingly annoyed. "I know!" she replies. "Geez!" I smile again as she looks to Dojima once more before running off towards the station. Remembering why I bothered getting out of the car, I stretch my arms and legs as the attendant begins to speak once again.

"Are you taking a trip?" he asks Dojima.

Dojima shakes his head and looks back at me. "No, we just went to pick her up. She just moved here from the big city."

The attendant then starts to look curiously at me. "The city, huh?" he asks.

"Fill my car up while you're at it," Dojima requests as he looks to his car. "Regular's fine."

"Right away sir!" the attendant replies gleefully.

Dojima looks to the distance. "Good a time as any for a smoke," he mutters. So he's a smoker, huh? I watch as Dojima walks off to the edge of the sidewalk.

"Are you in high school?" the attendant asks me.

I turn to the attendant and nod. "That's right."

"Does it surprise a city girl how little there is out here?"

I nod. "Kinda, yeah." I can't help but notice how he leers at me subtly when I speak.

He continues. "There's so little to do, I'm sure you'll get bored pretty quickly. You'll either be hanging out with friends or doing part-time jobs."

I arch my brow. "Are you trying to recruit me?"

The attendant laughs. "Well, we are hiring for part-time help here." He offers his hand. "Why don't you give it some thought? We don't care if you're a student." I remain hesitant at first, but I shake his hand, mostly to satisfy him.

"Sure, I'll think about it." I respond to other comments he throws my way until I see Nanako walk back from the bathroom.

"Oh, I should get back to work," the attendant says before walking away at long last. One thing's for sure: it'll be damn near impossible for me to forget about him. With that distraction out of the way, I go to hop back in the car when pain shoots through my head. I want to shrug it off, but it's a scarily familiar sensation; it's kind of like the pain from on the train earlier, but much, much worse.

"Are you okay?" Nanako asks as I clutch my head. I wish I knew.

"Did you get carsick?" I don't think so…

"You don't look so good." Thanks for stating the obvious. I swallow as I continue to clutch my head as the pain intensifies for a split second before dissipating. I let go of my head and look around, my vision slightly blurred. What the hell was that?

Dojima then walks up and looks at me worriedly. "What's wrong?" he asks.

"I-I dunno. I just had a massive headache." I then wobble. "And I feel a little dizzy."

Dojima sighs. "Let's hurry home, then." I nod as I hop into my seat in the car, and as Dojima pulls out of the station, I slowly nod off, into the sweet bliss of unconsciousness.

* * *

 **Clearly, I must've lost my mind if I think starting a third Persona fanfic is a good idea. Well, technically this is a prototype at the moment, so I'll leave it to you all if this is something you like. And you don't want to know how many times I changed this from the initial concept of a simple New Game Plus story, but I felt it necessary. Because how many of those simple stories are on this site again? Exactly.**

 **Well, I have nothing else to really say. Fav/Follow/Review if you want more, and maybe you'll get your wish. I'd be up for it, but what would be the point if no one read it? Oh, and if you spot any minor grammar errors, PM me and I'll fix it quick.**

 **Read on!**

 **-rjm324**


	2. String of Uncanny Familiarity

When I wake up, I see that the car is stopped, which lets me get a better look at the house; it's a traditional, two-story house with a deep, chocolate brown color. It looks simple enough, but something about it seems eerily familiar. Why is this, even though I've never been at this house before in my life? I dunno, but right now, I just want to get inside and relax on a sofa for once.

With that thought in mind, I exit the car, stretch my limbs, and enter the house. As I expected, the inside is as simple as the outside, but again, it feels familiar for no apparent reason. I see Nanako sit down at a table in the living room and turn on the television, while Dojima offers to take my bag and tells me to have a seat. I hesitate at first, but suddenly, my head begins to throb in pain again, so I decide to take him up on his offer and collapse on the sofa. Then, for some reason, the pain gets unbearably worse when I sit down, so I lean back into the cushion, close my eyes, and take deep breaths, hoping and pleading for the pain to pass.

Dojima returns from the second floor. "You okay with take-out tonight?" he asks.

I nod. "Sure. I don't really mind tonight."

Nanako bolts up. "Can we go to Junes, dad?" she asks enthusiastically. I process this thought and realize that that's what the shopping center from earlier must be. In that case, I feel even worse for the shopping district now, since Junes would likely be big competition for the shopkeepers there. I then notice that in the time it takes me to realize that, Nanako is already by Dojima's side, looking at him with what I can describe as "puppy dog eyes."

Dojima chuckles and reaches down to ruffle her hair. "Alright, Nanako," he replies before looking to me. "You have my number, right?"

Without even double checking, I nod. "Yeah."

"Are you sure?" he persists. I reluctantly pull out my phone, finger over to my contacts, and see that it is there, like I assumed.

"Yeah, it's here," I reply.

Dojima nods. "Alright. We'll be back." He turns around, and he and Nanako head for the door. "Make yourself at home." Then in no time at all, the house is left uninhabited except for me. I take a minute to look around the bottom floor, curious as to what exactly is familiar about the house. I close my eyes, trying to envision the room in my head, but to no avail. In fact, it's with this thought exercise that I begin to fall asleep again.

* * *

The sound of falling rain echoing around the house wakes me up. As I rub my eyes, I check the time on my phone as I call to Nanako and Dojima. There is no response, which means they're still gone after nearly an hour. Surely it doesn't take that long to get to and from Junes, right? I should try traveling through town the first chance I get so that I won't get lost later on.

A minute or two later, I hear the front door open, and I'm greeted by Dojima and Nanako, who have finally returned from Junes; then, they take a few minutes more to lay out dinner: sushi and TaP soda. It's, of course, nothing special, but after a quick toast, we start eating.

"So," Dojima begins, "your mom and dad are busy as always… They're working overseas, was it?" As I take a sip of my TaP soda, I nod.

Dojima continues. "I know it's only for a year, but getting stuck here because of your parents… It's rough being a kid."

I shrug. "It isn't all bad."

Dojima smiles. "Well, it's just me and Nanako here, so it'll be nice having someone like you around. So as long as you're here, consider yourself a part of the family."

I blush lightly. "T-Thanks. You're too kind."

Dojima chuckles. "C'mon, don't be so nervous." I look away from Dojima, opting to look to Nanako, who looked down at her food when she realized I was looking at her.

"Well anyways," Dojima continues, "let's eat." At that moment, someone's phone goes off. I know it's not mine, and when I see Dojima's expression grow darker, I can tell it's his.

"Ugh… Who's calling at this hour?" Dojima growls as he pulls out his phone and answers. "Dojima speaking…" He then stands up and walks out of the living room. "Yeah? I see… So where is it?" Again, I see his expression grow darker, maybe even more so than before; however, I've seen this scenario come and go plenty of times before, so I have a good idea as to what's coming next.

Dojima sighs. "Alright, I'm on my way." He closes his phone, then mutters, "Guess I made the right choice to skip the booze…" I turn and look to Nanako, and the first thing I notice is how visibly depressed she looks. Firstly, she's too cute to look this sad, but I also get the impression that this is a common occurrence.

"Sorry, but I have some business to take care of," Dojima says with an apologetic look on his face. "Go ahead and eat without me; I don't know how late I'll be." He then looks to Nanako. "Nanako, you help her out, okay?" Nanako nods as Dojima walks towards the front door; I gotta be honest, it seems like EVERYTHING in this town is worth pitying over, but none more so than Nanako; it makes me wonder how lonely she must feel on nights like this, especially from before I arrived.

The monotonous sound of rain grows slightly louder as Dojima opens the door. "Nanako, what did you do with the laundry?" he abruptly asks Nanako.

"I brought it in this morning," she replies.

"Alright. Well, I'm off." After the door is closed and the sound of the car driving dies down, only Nanako and I remain. She sighs and turns on the television.

" _ **-for this week. Next, let's take a look at the hourly breakdown of tomorrow's weather. With storm clouds moving in from the west, expect rain throughout the day tomorrow in most areas."**_

Nanako looks at her plate. "Let's eat," she says.

I decide to ask her a question that's lingering in my head. "So what does your dad do?"

"He… investigates stuff." She sounds a little nervous as she speaks. "Like… crime scenes."

"So… he's a detective?"

Nanako nods. Oh joy, this household just got even better.

 _ **"And now for the local news. City council secretary Taro Namatame is under fire for an alleged relationship with a female reporter. His wife, enka ballad sensation Misuzu Hiiragi, revealed to this station that she will likely pursue damages. In response, Eye Television has decided to cancel all of announcer Mayumi Yamano's televised appearances. Until allegations of an affair with Mr. Namatame are resolved, she'll remain off the air and out of the public eye."**_

"This is boring," Nanako says.

"You can change the channel if you want." I yawn. "Actually, please do that." And change the channel she does.

 _ **"At Junes, everyday is Customer Appreciation Day. Come see for yourself, and get in touch with our products! Every day's great at your Junes!"**_

Nanako perks up immediately. "Every day's great at your Junes!" No words can describe how happy that makes me feel right now. Now that's a sight I could get used to.

"Aren't you going to eat?" she asks. I look to my food and dig in; I didn't realize how hungry I was until just now.

* * *

My dinner finished, I decide to go to the room I'm borrowing from Dojima for the rest of the night. When I open the door, I see stacks of boxes littering the room which I carefully maneuver around. I sit on the futon, open my bag, and dig out my soft, yellow pajamas; I then strip off my school uniform and promptly dress in my pajamas. After this, I lay my uniform across one of my numerous boxes and simply stare at it. Tomorrow will be the first day at a new school, and although I should feel excited, I feel a twinge of dread. There's plenty that could go right, but also plenty to go wrong.

Like I worried earlier, what will people think of me? I'm not particularly unfriendly or vein, and I'm not the ugliest person around the block. But what will others here really feel about a transfer student from the city? Will I even be able to fit in around here? Ehh, maybe I'm just worrying over nothing. Surely things can't go that sour in one day. I decide to just call it a night, lay on the futon, and go to sleep.

I open my eyes quickly, my first indication that something isn't right without even taking a look at my surroundings. What I do see is that I'm standing in the middle of a yellow-tinted stage of sorts, with three distinct walkways and a few older TVs littered around. My reaction normally would be to panic uncontrollably, but this time, I decide to take a deep breath and walk down the path in front of me, almost subconsciously; I don't know why, but this place, while foreign, feels familiar, much like with Dojima's house.

Now, I can buy the feeling that the house is familiar, since I might have been there as a little kid, but this place should feel as unfamiliar as unfamiliar can get. So then why does it feel so familiar? Regardless, after a few minutes of walking, I come across a large stone castle, with a pulsating red opening where a door should stand. I try to walk closer, but after a few steps, I smack against an invisible wall. I knock on the empty space in front of me, coming into contact with the wall once again. What the hell is up with this? I turn to my right and continue walking, armed with the feeling that the castle isn't the only building here. Sure enough, I pass by a sauna, a strip club (not sure what to think of that), a laboratory, an apartment complex, and what I can only describe as a pixelated castle; and by pixelated, I literally mean it's styled like one of those games from when my parents were kids.

But the next area puts me so on edge, it makes the others seem normal in comparison: a recreation of the shopping district, which looks and feels even emptier than the real thing. I don't quite know how to say it exactly, but behind the fog that shrouds the area, it feels as though something sinister is peering at me, and that's an unsettling thought. In fact, as I think this, a silhouette of a man becomes visible, scaring the wits out of me; I slowly walk backwards, but the shadow simply follows.

That's the last straw; I turn completely around and make a mad dash for the area from where I appeared. I should be safe there, but what if the figure follows me there too? What will I do then? While these thoughts race through my head, I trip on my own two feet and land face first on the cold, hard ground. I lay down, momentarily paralyzed with fear and unease as to what the figure will do to me when it catches up.

"So you've come back," a gravelly voice booms in my ear. I slowly pull myself up and see the silhouette, hovering in the air. Is it talking to me?

"Indeed," the figure replies.

I jump. "Y-You can hear my thoughts?"

The silhouette nods. "I can do quite a bit more than just that."

"… O-Okay."

"Do not be frightened. I mean you no harm."

"A-And what did you mean by I've come back?"

"…"

"W-What? Is that a stupid question?"

"…So you don't remember?"

I arch my brow. "Well, I don't remember you, that's for damn sure."

The figure chuckles. "I see. Well then, the game just got a whole lot more… interesting."

"W-What do you mean?"

The figure fades slowly. "All in due time. For now, return to whence you came." As soon as I lose sight of the figure, a piercing white light envelops my vision, and I instinctively close my eyes shut in no time flat.

* * *

When I open my eyes once more, I find myself on my futon, in my pajamas from when I fell asleep. I bolt up and look around. I'm still in my room, littered with the same maze of boxes from last night. Armed with the knowledge that I'm safe, I put my hand to my forehead. What the hell was up with that dream? It seemed so… real. Who was that figure, and why…?

I hear a knock on my door, breaking me out of my panic. "Breakfast is ready!" Nanako shouts. I look to my clock and realize that it's time for me to get up. I start school today, so I should get dressed. I take off my pajamas, change my underwear, and put on my uniform. I should remember to add my own personal touch to it later, but it'll do for today.

Finally, after an eternity in my room, I walk down the stairs to the first floor, and the first thing I see is Nanako, setting up the table all by herself. I look around and notice that Dojima is nowhere to be seen, either.

"Good morning," she greets as she sets down her plate on the table.

I nod. "Good morning, Nanako," I greet back somewhat cheerfully as I take my seat at the table. Nanako takes her seat not too long after me, but all she does is stare down at her plate. Something's definitely on her mind.

She looks up. "Okay, let's eat."

"Do you do the cooking?" I ask.

Nanako perks up. "Mmm-hmm. I can toast bread… and cook sunny-side up eggs in the morning." She looks at her plate again. "Dad can't cook, so I buy dinner." Hearing her say this depresses me. She's only six years old, and she already does so much to help out around the house. Sure, I was sort of the same way at her age, but still…

"You're starting school today, right?" Nanako asks with a wide smile on her face. "My school's on the way, so… Let's go together."

I nod. "Yeah. I'd like that." That face is just too precious to say no to. Satisfied, Nanako immediately starts eating her breakfast, and I do the same.

* * *

After finishing breakfast, Nanako and I began walking to school; fortunately for us, we were smart to bring our umbrellas, since it began raining as we walked. Guess the weather report was right after all.

Suddenly, Nanako stops in her tracks, and I do the same. "You just go straight from here," she tells me as she turns around. "My school's this way. Bye!" She then starts walking the opposite direction we came from, and I continue walking in the direction of the school. At first, I'm all alone as I draw closer to the school district, but once I reach a certain intersection, I come across other Yasogami students, wearing the same identical uniforms. I pay particular attention to the other girls and, to their credit, they do make the standard uniform look good, and since I also make it look good…

"Whoaaaaaa!" I hear a voice screech alongside an unbearable metal squeaking. I turn around and see a male student, attempting to ride a bike and hold an umbrella at the same time. Of course, my first instinct is to move out of the way, and out of the guy's path. Speaking of… Well, I don't see what happens to him, but the next sound to penetrate my ears is metal crashing against metal. When I open my eyes, I see the bike rider doubled over in pain. It sure looks like it hurt, but for now, I ignore him and keep walking; I could help him, but given his, uh, condition, I won't be able to without blushing.

After another few minutes of walking, I halt in front of the front gates of the school. I marvel at the size of the school given its location and the cleanliness of the courtyard, but it's nothing special compared to schools in the city. Still though, I'm excited as to what lies in store for me, so once the awe wears off, I continue walking, and head straight for the faculty office.

* * *

 **Well, for now, it seems like you guys are up for this fic, and I'm glad! By the way, sorry for the chapter being shorter than I'd like; I'm still not going to fully commit until a lot more of you decide to follow/review since, like I always say, what's the point if no one comes to have a good time?**

 **Anyways, in order to avoid sounding even more like a broken record player, I'm gonna leave y'all be, and leave reviews so that these author's notes a little more interesting.**

 **Read on!**

 **-rjm324**


	3. First Day of School

"What's a damn punk like you need in the faculty office!?" a grumpy, angry voice shouts from the office as I open the door. There's so much wrong with what I just heard that I don't even know where to begin. When I walk in, I see one of the occupants walk in my direction, and from his appearance alone, I can tell he's the one that's pissed; although his striped, dark navy suit and white collared, long-sleeved shirt combo and yellow and orange checkered tie don't seem all that menacing, his bob cut black hair and buck teeth sure do alongside veins popping out of his forehead.

"Well?" the man demands. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

I gulp. "I'm Yu Narukami," I reply calmly, despite my body telling me to panic. "I'm…"

The man scuffs. "The new transfer student, huh? That's just what this school needs…" He then looks me in the eye. "I'd bet you're just like the last one, too!" I want to ignore him, but he's just so… Actually, I can't think up the right word to describe him. Ah well, I'll try to ignore him anyways. I mean, there's no way he could make things worse than they already are.

"And of course, you're stuck with me."

"…" Well, shit. Things just got worse. Do the gods spite me or something? Now not only will I have to endure his wrath on a regular basis, but I also have to be generalized based on my status as a transfer student? What sick and twisted part of hell did I just walk into?

He continues. "Well, follow me, and keep up!" I don't want to follow, but lest I want to get labeled as anything worse by this dick, I guess I have no choice. At least I'm not the only one forced to be subjected to his torment.

* * *

"Alright, shut your traps!" the teacher barks to the noisy classroom, sending everyone into immediate, uneasy silence. Myself, I'm still trembling from the "lecture" he gave me before entering the room, so having to listen to more of his nonsense is pretty much akin to torture.

He continues. "I'm Kinshiro Morooka, your homeroom teacher from today onwards." Yeah, more like the ringleader of hell.

"First things first: just because it's spring doesn't mean you can swoon over each other like lovestruck baboons." I notice a few of the other students shift uncomfortably in their seats, but it's not like I can blame them.

"Long as I'm around, you students are going to be as pure as the driven snow." He then turns his painful gaze back to me. "Now I hate wasting my time, but I'd better introduce this transfer student." Oh joy, I'm next on your schedule. I also love the way you distastefully said "transfer student;" that was a nice touch.

"This sad sack's been tossed from the big city to the middle of nowhere like yesterday's _garbage_." I breathe through my nose as I write my name on the board; sure, this guy's an ass, but I'm sure I don't need to be on his bad side.

"And she's just as much of a _loser_ here as she was there, so you _boys_ better not get any funny ideas. Tell 'em your name kid, and make it snappy."

I turn to face Morooka instead of the class, way beyond giving a damn. "You calling _me_ a loser?" Once the words escape my mouth, a collective set of gasps rise from the class as everyone stares at me, no doubt baffled by what I just said. I stare at Morooka with an innocent smile as a vein pops out of his forehead. I'm screwed, but no one generalizes me as a loser and gets away with it.

"W-Why you little—that's it! You're on my shit list, effective immediately!" Funny, because from my perspective, it looked like I already was.

He continues, louder than before. "Now listen up! This town is miles away from your big city of perverts and assholes, in more ways than one. You better not even think about getting involved with the boys here, you got that!?" Great, more lecturing. Well, I guess I asked for this one.

Again, he continues. "But what do I know? It's not like the old days. Even here, kids grow up so damn fast, always fooling around on those damn phones for no other reason than to check your life journals or FaceSpaces." Is he seriously still rambling on? Someone shoot me now before I have to listen to one more sentence of his "lecture."

Suddenly, one of the female students raises their hand. "Excuse me! Is it okay if the transfer student sits here?"

Morooka turns to face the girl in question. "Huh? Yeah, sure." He returns his gaze to me once more. "Ya here that? Your seat's over there. So hurry up and siddown already!" With pleasure. I walk over to the empty desk and take my seat, and the first thing I do is look to the girl who saved me from my torment; the girl sports short, lightish-brown hair and a green, high collared athletic jacket over the standard uniform. Now SHE looks like someone I could grow to like.

"He's the worst, huh?" she asks me.

I put a hand over my face. "You can say that again," I sigh.

"Rotten luck for you to get stuck in this class… Well, we just have to hang in there for a year." That's comforting, but unless Morooka gets hit by a train or something, I doubt that I'll be able to find solace in his classes. Regardless, I listen around to the rest of the students once I realize I'm the center of their conversations.

"Sucks to be the transfer student, ending up in King Moron's class on the first morning here…" King Moron? I have to admit, that sounds like a much more fitting name for him right now.

"Yeah, he won't think twice about suspending you if you get on his bad side. But then again, we're all in the same boat." I only find momentary solace from a comment like this.

"Shut your traps!" King Moron barks. "I'm taking roll, and I damn well expect you to respond in an orderly manner!" I'll consider it, King Moron. I'll consider it.

* * *

"That's all for today," King Moron announces as class draws to a close. "Normal lectures will start tomorrow." He then heads for the door, but before he leaves, a soft trill fills the room.

" _ **Attention all teachers,"**_ the PA system echoes. _**"Please report to the Faculty Office immediately for a brief staff meeting. All students must return to their classrooms and are not to leave the school until further notice."**_

King Moron faces us once again and huffs. "You heard the announcement. Don't go anywhere until you hear otherwise!" And with that, he exits the room almost as fast as he and I entered it this morning, and the room erupts into conversation like class never even happened.

"He's seriously getting on my nerves," a girl to my left tells the girl in front of her. I sigh. You and me both, girl. As I think this, I hear police sirens grow in volume, leading to some of the students to immediately run to the window; I momentarily turn to the window in curiosity, but the fog covering the area makes it nearly impossible for me to see anything. Upset, I proceed to put the items on my desk back into my backpack.

"H-Hey, Yukiko-san," I hear a voice greet. "Mind if I ask you something?" I turn my head and see that one of the male students is trying to attract the attention of the girl sitting in the row in front of me; she has long, straight black hair and wears a red hair band that matches her red sweater that she wears with her uniform. She, along with the short haired girl from before, really stick out the most, almost like one of those clichés you see in manga.

The boy continues. "Is it true that announcer's staying at your family's inn?"

The girl shifts uncontrollably in her seat. "I can't discuss such things."

The boy rubs the back of his head. "Y-Yeah, I guess not…" He then runs back to the window, and the short-haired girl walks over to the black-haired girl's side.

"Sheesh, how much longer is this gonna take?" the short-haired girl asks.

"There's no telling," the black-haired girl replies.

The short-haired girl sighs. "I shoulda left before the announcement came on…" Yeah, I have to agree with her there, but it's not like we had the option.

After a few minutes more, the trill from before sounds off again. _**"Attention all students. There has been an incident inside the school district. Police officers have been dispatched around the School Zone. Please stay calm and contact your parents or guardians as soon as possible, and quickly leave the school grounds. Do not disturb the officers. Head directly home. I repeat…"**_

"Incident?" one of the male students asks.

"What, something actually happened?" one of the female students asks. So stuff like this doesn't usually happen? Geez, that timing is just too uncanny. Regardless, I stand up, but before I even have a chance to move, two familiar girls walk up to me.

"Hey, are you going home by yourself?" the short-haired girl asks.

I nod. "Yeah, why?"

"Well, why don't you come with us?" I grow silent. "Oh, I nearly forgot! My name's Chie Satonaka. I sit next to you, remember?"

I nod. "Yeah, of course."

"Well, nice to meet you!" Chie then turns her attention to the other girl. "This is Yukiko Amagi."

Yukiko rubs her hands, almost as if she's cold. "Oh, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," I reply back.

"T-Thanks. I'm sorry this is so sudden…"

Chie pouts, waving her hand in protest. "C'mon, Yukiko! Don't apologize like that. It makes me look like I got no upbringing!" As she speaks, I can't help but see how much these two are polar opposites of each other: one is as quiet as they come, and the other is so outspoken, she's impossible to miss. A unique pair, but one that nags at me in the back of my head, and I don't know why.

"Well then, let's get going," Chie says. I nod, and the three of us walk towards the door when another male student blocks our path; I don't notice it immediately, but after a second or two, I realize it's the boy from earlier who crashed his bike.

"Uhh… Satonaka-san?" he asks Chie.

Chie, on cue, looks at him with a puzzled look. "Hmm?" The boy's brown eyes look to the ground and to Chie a few times, almost as if he's trying to dodge a bullet. Then I notice a DVD case in his hand.

"The movie was really awesome…" he explains. "Like, the way they moved was just amazing to see. And…" He holds out the case with two hands and bows. "I'm really sorry! It was an accident. P-Please have mercy on me until my next paycheck!" Chie takes the case, and then the boy takes off. "See ya! Thanks!"

I'd say he made a clean getaway, but Chie was just as quick to react. "Hold it right there! What did you do to my DVD!?" Sure enough, Chie is on his heels in second as she pulls on the boy's collar and jerks her leg upwards; guess that's strike two for him.

"Ugh!" He crumples to the ground in pain. Yukiko and I walk over to the two when Chie opens the DVD case.

"W-What the…?" The shock in her voice is very noticeable. "I can't believe this! It's completely cracked!" She cries. "My 'Trial of the Dragon'…!"

"I think mine's cracked too…" the boy chokes out. "C-Critical hit to the nads…" I don't want to laugh, so I bite my lip to hold back; sure, it's unfortunate, but hearing him say that is a little much, so the least I can do is keep quiet.

"A-Are you alright?" Yukiko asks him, seemingly concerned.

"O-Oh, Yukiko-san…" He looks to Yukiko with a pained smile as he tries standing up. "Are you worried about me?"

As he asks this, Chie growls softly. "He's fine, Yukiko! Let's ditch him and go home." She then puts the DVD case in her backpack and walks out the open door, with Yukiko following not too far behind, leaving me behind with the boy; however, despite a second or two of feeling pity, I decide to catch up with the girls, leaving the boy to, uhh, sort himself out.

* * *

"I move around a lot because of my parents' job," I explain to Chie and Yukiko. "I've been to a lot of schools because of that."

Chie nods her head. "I see. I thought it was something much more serious."

"You mean like a deal with a bad gang?" Yukiko suggests.

I tilt my head. "What do you mean by that?"

Chie waves her hand worriedly. "Nothing like that! Sheesh, you've got a strange imagination, Yukiko."

I laugh. "Yeah. What have you been watching to get THAT idea?"

Yukiko also laughs. "Oh, just a simple drama."

Chie sighs. "We need to find you a hobby…" She then looks back to me. "Moving on, your situation reminds me of Hanamura."

"Hanamura?" I ask.

Chie crosses her arms. "Yosuke Hanamura. You know, the guy I kicked in the nads?"

I nod understandingly. "Oh, yeah. You know, you didn't have to do that to him, even if he deserved it."

"She has a point," Yukiko adds.

"W-Well, whatever," Chie stutters. "Can we just change the subject?"

I nod. "How about telling me about the town?"

Chie frowns. "Well, there's really nothing here. That makes it nice, but there's not much to show to people from the outside. Although, there is something from Mt. Yasogami… I think our dyed clothes or pottery or something is kinda famous…" Her expression then immediately brightens. "Oh wait! There's the Amagi Inn!"

I notice Yukiko's expression darken at this inn's mention. "It's… just an old inn."

Chie shakes her head. "No way! It's been in all sorts of magazines as a hidden treasure." She turns to me. "It's a great inn! It's been going for generations, and Yukiko here is going to take over someday. Their inn actually attracts a lot of visitors to Inaba. It pretty much keeps this town going."

Now Yukiko frowns. "I don't think that's entirely true."

"Now now, it's okay to be proud of it with the way Chie described it," I remark.

Chie nods. "Yeah, you heard her!"

"Seriously, you guys," Yukiko continues, "it's not that special."

As we walk, I see a crowd of people gathered up ahead. "Hold up, what's going on up there?" I ask as I stop in my tracks.

Chie and Yukiko also stop walking. "I dunno," Chie replies. "Why don't we check it out?"

I nod. "I was thinking the same thing." I continue walking, Chie and Yukiko trailing not too far behind, curious as to what has so many people gathered in one place, but whatever it is, it can't be a regular occurrence.

"So that high schooler left school early, and as she came down the street…" This is the first thing I hear, and it already doesn't sound like anything good.

"Wow. Who could imagine THAT hanging from an antenna?" Hanging from an antenna? What does she mean?

"I wanted to see it too."

"Uhh, you got here too late… The police and fire department just took it down a moment ago."

I look to the others. "What could they mean?"

Chie shrugs her shoulders. "Beats me." That's real comforting. Yukiko says nothing, so I listen closer.

"Well, I think it's terrifying. I can't believe a dead body showed up around here…"

"…" Did I hear that right?

"A dead body!?" Chie repeats, seemingly shocked. "Did I–what?"

"You're not hearing things, Satonaka," I reply. "I heard it too… But I kinda wish I didn't."

"I know what you mean," Chie replies understandingly. I look to Yukiko, still speechless, but she looks to the antenna curiously; I look to it as well, but there's not really anything to see. A dead body hanging on that, huh? No wonder people came out to see it, because now even I'm harboring morbid curiosity over it.

"Hey, what're you doing here?" These words snap me put of it, my eyes now darting around, only to discover that my uncle is here too. Oh, right. Nanako said he's a detective, so it's no wonder he's here.

I clear my throat. "We were just passing by," I reply calmly.

Dojima nods firmly. "Huh… I should've figured that would happen." He looks up. "That damn principal. We told him not to let them through here…"

"You know this guy?" Chie asks innocently.

Dojima looks to Chie. "I'm Detective Dojima, his uncle and guardian." He then looks to Yukiko, then back to me, and scratches the back of his head. "Well, how should I say this…? I hope you get along with her." His expression darkens. "Anyways, you three really ought to stop wandering around and head straight home."

I nod. "Alright. I guess I'll…" Before I have a chance to finish my sentence, a young man in a suit blazes by, covering his mouth with his hands.

"Ngh…Uuuurrghhh…" The man empties the contents of his stomach onto some nearby grass. Poor guy.

But Dojima isn't so sympathetic to the man. "Adachi! How long are you going to act like a rookie? You want to be sent back to the central office!?"

The man looks up at Dojima as he wipes his mouth. "S-Sorry… Nngh…"

Dojima shakes his head and sighs. "Go wash your face. We're gonna go around and gather information." The girls and I start walking away, my focus still directed at Dojima and the man; after what I've seen, I probably shouldn't try pissing Dojima off either.

"Was that what the announcement was about?" Chie suggests.

"And what did they mean, 'It was hanging from an antenna?'" Yukiko looks down in thought.

Chie looks to Yukiko. "Hey Yukiko? Why don't we go to Junes some other time?"

Yukiko nods. "Good idea."

Chie then faces me. "Alright then, we're taking off. Starting tomorrow neighbor, let's do our best!"

I nod. "For sure! See you two later." I turn around and continue the walk back home, eager to get away from the crime scene.

* * *

"I'm home," I announce to the house as I open the door. Nanako turns away from the TV to greet me with a smile and a wave before turning back to the TV a moment later. I decide to sit down across from her, just in case she needs some company.

"I wonder if Dad's not coming home again tonight…" Nanako looks down. That's possible, given what I saw today, but I decide not to tell her this.

 _ **"Our top story this evening concerns a bizarre case in a quiet suburb. Around noon today, a woman was found dead near the Samegawa River in Inaba."**_

Already? I guess news travels fast around here.

 _ **"The deceased has been identified as Ms. Mayumi Yamano, a 27-year-old at the local television station. The initial results of the Inaba Police Department's Investigation have revealed…"**_

Nanako gasps. "Ah! The Inaba Police Department! T-That's where Dad works!"

"It'll be all right," I tell her reassuringly. "He was fine when I saw him."

Nanako nods. "I know. That's his job, so this stuff happens."

"Yeah." We continue watching.

 _ **"The body was found hanging from a large television antenna atop a local resident's roof. Authorities are uncertain as to why the body was in such a state. With the cause of death also uncertain, police continue to investigate whether the death is an accident or a homicide."**_

I may not be the smartest one around, but how in the hell could someone call that an accident? Do people get tangled up in antennas more than I thought? I call BS on that.

 _ **"A thick fog common to the area has slowed their progress, and plans to fully canvass the area are delayed until tomorrow."**_

"They found her on the roof?" Nanako asks nervously, her body trembling. "That's scary…" You and me both, Nanako. But did the news have to be so descriptive about it?

"Oh, it's Junes!" Nanako says cheerfully as if the news report never happened. She sure got over that quickly.

 _ **"At Junes, everyday is Customer Appreciation Day. Come see for yourself, and get in touch with our products! Every day's great at your Junes!"**_

"Every day's great at your Junes!" Nanako sings enthusiastically. She then looks to me expectantly with the widest smile on her face.

I smile. "Every day's great at your Junes!"

"You memorized it already? I'm the best one in my class!" As she sings the song again, I think about how adorable the sight is. Even I'm cheered up from the news earlier, and that's not a bad thing at all.

* * *

 **Well, I guess this one's here to stay for now, and many apologies for not posting to any of my stories lately. November was quite hectic for me, whether it be last minute plans, back to back tests, and writer's block. You know, the norm for a college student.**

 **Anyways, let me respond to the reviews real quick:**

 **Sephchipmunk – We'll see. I definitely want to mix a few things up.**

 **.31 – Yep.**

 **And with that, I bid you adieu for now. Follow me on Twitter rjm324 if you want updates!**

 **Read on!**

 **-rjm324**


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